(2002)
REVIEWED BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-ALAN ROWE KELLY CAST-ZOE DAELMAN CHLANDA, BILL CORRY, KATHERINE O’SULLIVAN, JERRY MURDOCK, KRISTEN OVERDURF and ALAN ROWE KELLY. SOURCE-HERETIC FILMS DVD NTSC REG 0. (2004)
The small quiet town of Port Oram, the usual small populated area where the locals dwell pretty much the same as all small towns do. Of course that is what most of the local folks think, but there is something wrong, very wrong. The town’s local mortuary, Beech’s Funeral Home has put out a help wanted ad and the call is answered by a mysterious women by the name of Dolores. With her arrival comes her dark past, one that seem to have a profound affect on people who work at the home. Unbeknownst
to the home’s owner and practitioner Percival Beech, his main make-up/co-practitioner Corey and handyman Jake are the center of some dark moonlighting side business. They are stealing bodies from the home and selling them for profit to a mysterious buyer. Though the buyer becomes enraged at the poor quality of the recent batch, Jake is forced to figure out another plan to appease the buyer. As Dolores settles into her new surrounds, her strange behavior starts to loosen up, her attraction to the dead becomes ever more so evident. That is not all though, her burning rage becomes more and more heated. As the body snatching turns to murder, things begin to spiral out of hand as people become nervous, then eventually themselves turn up dead. The Beech Funeral Home isn’t so quiet anymore.
Writer and director Alan Rowe Kelly helms his first directing duty with complete professionalism. I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW is certainly the lead in the next wave of classic based horror with a revived flavor. Echoing those ever so popular 50's drive-in classics, I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW picks up the pieces and adds many new ones in the process. Everything from the strong atmosphere that is seemly the backbone to every scene in the film. Ah, but that is just the beginning of what is going right with this deranged creepfest. What would a horror film of this nature be without the proper score to accompany it? No worries there either, the perfect score just so happens to display the necessary needs to fulfill exactly. Now, with those two most important factors pretty much in the bag, one would also like to know how the acting in this is? Most would already write of such a movie as being the typical b-flick or indie where the acting is the least of one’s worries, but again they would be certainly wrong. Again, I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW buries all that with some great performances highlighting the true strengths of this film. All major roles seems to have their different feels, and playing off each other to create a very strong common thread.
Though classic horror in feel, I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW does get down and dirty with slinging the gore and guts. While watching this, I would tend to envision some of those shlock classics such as 1000 MANIACS, or WIZARD OF GORE or even COLOR ME BLOOD RED. Yes, I know those are all HG Lewis, but I can’t help but wonder what type if any influence he had on Alan Rowe Kelly while writing the script. The person behind much of the blood slinging is the ever so psychotic Dolores played by Zoe Daeman Chlanda. What an incredibly crazy performance capped with an equally in lunacy ending. This woman’s range is limitless and that is just the set of lungs on her either. She is down right deranged, and bound for the nuthouse after this performance. Yet, with all the craziness, she managed to collect herself and become that normal case in a manner of seconds. As far as I know, Zoe has only had a bit role in Bryan Johnson’s VULGAR, which surprises me. Why has she been recruited for more projects of this nature. She simply steals the show, though not without great support. Jerry Murdock who plays two very different roles in this. He is both Jake and Jake’s brother Mitch who is apart of the local police enforcement. Outstanding in both roles, the better of the two being the drug infested Jake. I don’t think there’s a moment is this film where hie nostrils aren’t caked white. Next to the sheer craziness generated by Dolores, Jake is almost an equal in that department. Driven to the edge with greediness and cold comfort, actor Jerry Murdock gives the necessary injection Jake needs.
One must not forget that with all the bright lights and colorful illusions, I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW also just happens to have a strong storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The creepy music, the gloomy sites and feels are only extensions of just how strong this piece really is. Alan, what state of mind were you in when writing this piece? Whatever it may have been, your certainly have pumped blood into an area of horror that has been long dormant.
Heretic Films first released SCARED FLESH, a film that was banned in the country of it’s origin, now they have taken the next step with their second release of I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW. Right where they left off, HERETIC have taken the care and time to bring us yet another independent offering and propping it up on the world stage of the shiny format. Gleaming with a crystal clear anamorohic widescreen transfer. Coupled with an equally clear digital audio track. They have also taken the time to add some great features to give the viewers a more personal look into the production of the film. Not in the way of a behind the scenes making of, but with some deleted scenes and bloopers. Also they have added a few trailers as well. Heretic Films still in their infancy, have chosen a path to provide the fans with just what they want. No big sloppy Hollywood bullshit, but some in your face indie classics. This is certainly a must have for fans of the film or those on the look for a new scare!
STORY-3.5 BITCH SLAPS PICTURE-3 BITCH SLAPS SOUND-3 BITCH SLAPS EXTRAS-3 BITCH SLAPS OVERALL-3 BITCH SLAPS -or-
I'll Bury You Tomorrow website
